


One Lazy Afternoon

by mandykaysfic



Series: August Holidays [3]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Gen, Sheppard's Team
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-19
Updated: 2014-01-19
Packaged: 2018-01-09 06:18:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1142498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mandykaysfic/pseuds/mandykaysfic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sheppard's Team enjoys an afternoon off.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Lazy Afternoon

**Author's Note:**

> August 3rd is National Watermelon Day and was written on that date to celebrate.
> 
> Also written for the Schmoop Bingo prompt 'picnics'.

Ronon carried one cooler, Rodney lugged the other. Teyla had a woven basket as well as a carefully balanced a white box containing a chocolate cake. John's bag was small in comparison, but it contained several Thermos flasks of coffee and one of tea. He also carried a couple of blankets. The team had taken advantage of a day off and was spending it on the mainland. A picnic at one of the more distant coves had been agreed on by all.

Rodney claimed the shadiest spot straight away. John had forbidden him to bring any of his laptops, but he couldn't stop Rodney thinking. He promised he would swim in a while, after he'd had some serious thinking time, but he delayed commencing thinking while he checked out the view. Rodney never let it be said that he couldn't appreciate natural beauty as he watched others strip down to swimming costumes. He watched them splash each other, duck dive and race until his eyes closed and he drifted off to sleep.

Rodney spluttered as he woke to shower of cold water landing on his face and stomach. He wiped his eyes and glared in John's direction, not believing the placatingly raised hands and guileless expression. 

“It wasn't me.”

He fixed an evil eye on Ronon, who grinned and shook his head, spattering Rodney even more. Teyla's delighted giggle clued him in as to who was the real culprit. For a moment he debated getting to his feet and chasing her down to the water for some suitable retaliation. Instead, he showed all his teeth in imitation of Ronon's most menacing smile. "You'll keep,” he promised.

Teyla smiled. "I'm sure I will.”

Meanwhile, John had opened the the smaller of the coolers. Cold meat, two salads in covered bowls and several packets of sandwiches made an appetizing spread. Teyla handed around the plates she'd carried in the basket and the four soon filled them. 

The larger cooler held bottles of water and an assortment of fruit. The large purple grapes had been a welcome part of one of Lorne's team's trades. The watermelon had arrived with the latest shipment from Earth. One of Ronon's knives made short work of slicing it.

John spat some watermelon seeds onto his empty plate. He looked over at Rodney. "You ever spit seeds?”

"Of course. I once managed almost sixteen meters.”

"Fifty-five feet,” smirked John

Rodney grabbed another slice of watermelon. He ate quickly, collecting the seeds in his palm. "Come on, then.” He got up and headed down to the damp sand where the tide was on its way out. He marked a line and waved John over. "You can go first,” he offered magnanimously.

“Best of two?” asked John. 

“Better make it five,” said Rodney.

Ronon and Teyla had initially eaten the seeds and rind of the watermelon, but now they each held a handful of seeds as they joined the other two at the line on the sand.

John surveyed the ammunition in his palm and selected a large black seed. He set in on the tip of his tongue and then closed his mouth over it. After making a production of swirling it around, he drew a breath and spat.

Rodney snorted derisively. “You barely made twenty feet.”

“That was just a practice shot.”

“I'll show you a practice shot." Rodney took a swallow from the water bottle he'd brought with him. He crowed unashamedly when his seed practically doubled John's distance. He quieted quickly enough when Ronon helped himself to Rodney's water bottle and spat a seed of his own an extra ten feet further. 

When Teyla matched Ronon's distance with ease, John and Rodney exchanged glances. John added a short run up to the line as well as wetting his mouth thoroughly. “My great-uncle Reggie competed in Luling's annual Watermelon Thump every year. He swore the run-up added an extra five yards to his distance.” It added an extra ten to Ronon's when he employed the same technique.

It proved impossible to stop at five attempts. When there were no more seeds left to spit, Ronon was declared the winner. John thought he might teach the fine art of seed spitting to Jinto and his friends. Teyla had prised enough details of the Watermelon Thump from John to consider suggesting Elizabeth sponsor something similar instead of another dance. Rodney decided he may as well take the swim he'd said he would earlier. They all ended up in the water and Rodney even managed to pay Teyla back for his earlier drenching by dunking her, not once but several times.

END


End file.
